Amore On Wheels

Just the name Maserati evokes thoughts of Italian style. Along with the likes of Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana, there are few marques that exude Italian panache — and Maserati is one of them.

But Maserati is more than a mindset, as evidenced by the '04 Maserati Cambiocorsa Coupe, which combines Italian style with unbridled power and flair.

The joy of the Maserati coupe starts with the exterior styling, penned by famed Italian coachbuilder Giorgetto Guiggaro's ItalDesign SpA. A wide chrome mesh grille dominates the front fascia, with the Maserati trident placed front-and-center.

A power bulge distinguishes the low hood, running from the front bumper through to the windshield, providing a dramatic styling cue. The arched wheel wells add to the car's sporty flare. The rear fascia is comparatively simple, with the quad-tip exhaust pipes taking a prominent role.

Slip into the leather-laden interior and the Maserati transcends eye candy. The attention to detail in the cockpit is world class, with leather covering nearly every inch of the cabin — even the headliner.

One glaring error: Where plastic pieces are used, such as around the door handles, the color of the plastic does not match the leather, and it looks cheap. Maserati needs to work a bit on craftsmanship.

Also, the Command Center system, which is a color-screen housing the navigation and audio systems, is overly complex. The buttons on the center console for the most part are indecipherable, making it cumbersome to switch radio stations or designate radio station presets.

Many competitors' systems are more intuitive, and Maserati needs to search out a new supplier with a user-friendly interface.

Turning the ignition key provides a better understanding of what this car is all about. The coupe is powered by a Ferrari-based 4.2L DOHC V-8 that pounds out a no-nonsense 390 hp at 7,000 rpm and maximum torque of 333 lb.-ft. (451 Nm) at 4,500 rpm — enough power to make the 3,700-lb. (1,678-kg) coupe feel much lighter.

While the performance numbers sound intriguing, the true beauty of this engine is experienced when popping the hood. Unlike many other performance-car makers that clad their engines with plastic to provide a “cleaner” under-hood appearance, Maserati throws out the plastic to provide a clear look at what makes this car tick.

Maserati obviously understands the potential of the engine as a piece of art. The cylinder heads are cast in bright red with the Maserati name prominently molded thereon, while the intake manifold is painted gold, with the Maserati trident cast onto the front for extra flare. Some might say this view, alone, is worth the coupe's $95,000 price tag.

The engine is mated to Maserati's F1A Cambiocorsa transmission, a 6-speed automated manual featuring an electro-hydraulic clutch actuator. Shifts are controlled via paddles located behind the steering wheel or, in automatic mode, by a central processing unit.

The automatic operation is activated via an “auto” button on the lower center console, and a selectable sport mode improves the responsiveness of the transmission.

While the Cambiocorsa system sounds like a technological marvel, it unfortunately turns out to be the coupe's Achilles' heel.

Shifting is crude, thanks mostly to the lack of a torque converter. In automatic mode, the system lags, even when the sport setting is selected. The driver feels like a bobble-head doll, head traveling fore and aft as the gears indelicately ram home.

The paddle-shift mode provides a better opportunity to get to know the power of the engine. Some Ward's editors found the automated-manual to be highly responsive.

That said, potential car buyers might want to check out the conventional 3-pedal manual transmission, which although not part of this test drive, has to be better than the Cambiocorsa gearbox.

The transmission, however, should not be a deal breaker. The Maserati Coupe offers a tastefully exotic package and one of the best engines on the market at any price.

Plus, the expected sales numbers (460 units annually) are low enough to guarantee exclusivity to match that Italian gusto.